THE CNMI Federation of Golf Associations on Tuesday officially announced the local golfers who will represent the Commonwealth in the 2022 Pacific Mini Games next month. They are:
Men’s Division
JJ Atalig
Franco Santos
Alternates
Harry Nakamura
Peter “Dung” Tenorio
Women’s Division
Janet Torres
Rose Rohriner
Alternate
Niramai Koebel
Male Junior Division
Zhi Li Yun
Joshua Atalig
Alternates
Joey “Kazu” Dela Cruz
Antonio “Tonchu” Norita
Female Junior Division
Zhi Min Jin
Soarin Oh
The coaches are Ned Norita, Vic Salas and Yuko Togawa.
In October 2021, the local golf federation announced that 14 of 45 players passed the tryout phase and were selected into the CNMI national golf team.
However, the 14 still had to go through another trial which was the final shootout tournament on April 30 at the Coral Ocean Resort golf course to determine the final composition of the team.
JJ Atalig and Franco Santos emerged as numbers 1 and 2 in the men’s division while Zhi and Joshua Atalig reigned in the man’s junior division.
In the women’s division, Janet Torres finished first while Rose Rohriner came in second.
In the female junior division, Zhi Min Jin and Soarin Oh were first and second.
Eleven countries/territories will compete in the Pacific Mini Games golf event from June 21 to 24 at the Coral Ocean Resort golf course.
Geri Dela Cruz of the CNMI Federation of Golf Associations said during the final tryout in October, the player were required to walk the entire golf course of Coral Ocean Resort, and by the end of the day, they looked exhausted.
But after seven months of training, the players’ stamina have improved drastically, she added.
The Pacific Mini Games’ golf competition will be an event in which the players will earn world golf ranking points.
With more sanctioned events, the local golf federation hopes to also use the ranking system in the near future.
The CNMI national golf team members and their coaches pose for a photo following Tuesday’s official announcement at the Aqua Resort Club. The team will compete in the upcoming Pacific Mini Games.
